Rye GOP Sets Its Seitz on Tarlow Council Seat

Late Monday the Rye GOP announced its candidate for the special election for the remaining two years left on Pam Tarlow’s city council seat. Tarlow vacated the seat in July after an ugly exchange with the Mayor and sitting members of the council.

Jana Seitz will be the candidate for the GOP this fall. Still no official word from the Rye Dems on who they will put forward as its candidate.

Here is the official announcement from the local GOP:

“The Rye City Republican Committee is pleased to announce its candidate for the City Council seat vacated by Councilmember Pam Tarlow, who stepped down due to residency change last month.

We are proud to announce our support for the election of Jana Seitz, a long-standing Rye community member with a history of commitment to and involvement in issues important to the citizens of Rye. Jana is the President of the Friends of Read Wildlife Sanctuary and has served as a Trustee and as Vice President of the Rye Free Reading Room as well as on the Rye City TV Committee. She was appointed by members of the County Legislature to the Playland Advisory Committee, and by the Rye City Council to the Deer Management Committee. She has long been involved in forging solutions to municipal infrastructure issues, touring Bowman Dam with members of the flood mitigation team and studying Blind Brook flood patterns after Hurricane Sandy. Jana, working in concert with local non-profits and merchants, created Fall Festival at Edith Read, is co-founder of Rye Nature Center’s summer program “Paddle Adventure Camp” which engages young teenagers in kayaking and hiking expeditions around the region and is a frequent contributor to the Rye Record.

She was recently honored with the “Women Who Make a Difference Award” presented annually by The Osborn Foundation in Rye. She has forged collaborative relationships across a multitude of disciplines and will enhance and reinforce our effective Rye governance team.

“I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve, by working with the Mayor and City Council and by listening to the concerns and ideas of all Rye citizens.”

Jana and her husband Andy have two children, Kate (15),a rising sophomore at Rye High School and Joe (18), a 2021 graduate of Rye High. She is originally from Monroe, Louisiana and holds a BA in English and Public Relations from Southern Methodist University.

“Jana has demonstrated a truly effective and inclusive approach to all of her community efforts. The confidence that Rye residents have shown in her ability to work effectively with both citizen volunteers and elected officials in the Rye community to address and resolve challenges is impressive.” says Elaine DiCostanzo, Chair of the Rye City Republican Committee.

The Committee believes that the election of Jana to the outstanding City Council team will ensure that Rye will continue to be governed by effective community leaders who exhibit and promote integrity, leadership and constructive resolution of issues important to Rye.

The election is November 2, 2021.”